There are approximately 2.3M people in full-time employment in Ireland.  There are approximately 10,000 injuries reported to the Health & Safety Authority (HSA) each year and manual handling is the most common cause of workplace injuries at approximately 30%.  The next most common trigger of workplace injuries is slipping or falling which account for approximately 25% and of these the majority were on ground level and one in five are falls from a height.  The part of the body affected in the greatest number of workplace injuries was soft tissue injury to the back and is more usually caused through lifting or moving heavy objects as well as from falling.  Sadly there are approximately 45 people killed in Irish workplaces each year and these of course are so much more than statistics and each death leaves a trail of grief and devastation behind and we are conscious that each one of these deaths is a tragedy for each family.  Approximately half of these workplace fatal injuries occur in the agricultural sector including forestry and fishing.  One in four fatal injuries occur on construction and  fatal injuries also occur in the transportation, manufacturing and waste management sectors.  Fatal injuries in the workplace happen to people from all age profiles however the highest number involve people aged 65 or over and this age profile tends to dominate the agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors and the vast majority of all fatal injuries are male.

How can we help you?

In the first instance, you may feel apprehensive about taking a personal injury claim against your employer for injuries you have suffered.  It may be that you feel a sense of duty or loyalty towards your employer and are concerned about how you may be treated upon your return to the workplace should you commence a personal injury compensation claim.  Firstly, you should consider yourself and what the injuries you have suffered mean and the financial implications for you now and into the future.  You probably have medical expenses and possibly also medical expenses into the future that need to be taken care of and possibly also loss of earnings and as a matter of law you are entitled to receive compensation for your pain and suffering and other losses.  Secondly, you should understand that your employer will have the necessary insurances in place and that it is not something your employer should take personally.  Your claim effectively will be dealt with by the insurance company on behalf of your employer.

Can I lose my job?

This is a common concern that some injured employees can have and the answer is that you are protected under employment law in Ireland and that you cannot be dismissed or be let go simply because you have taken a personal injury compensation claim against your employer.  If your employer does terminate your employment you would then have additional avenues of compensation for unfair dismissal.

How taking a compensation claim can help you

With workplace injuries it is often the situation that you will have a loss of earnings both past, present and possibly into the future.  There may be other out-of-pocket expenses such as hospital fees, GP, MRI, physiotherapy, medications etc. that you need to recover and additionally, as a matter of law, you are entitled to an amount of money for your pain past, present and future and while it will never turn the clock back it can go some way in assisting your recovery and putting you back insofar as money can into the position you were in before the injuries were suffered.

If you have suffered injury in the workplace, then you may be able to make a claim for compensation. It is important you seek advice as soon as possible to protect your legal rights. We believe in putting you our client first and we are committed to achieving the best result possible while all the time remaining sensitive to your needs. Please feel free to reach out to us below and will be pleased to discuss your case and offer no obligation advice.

To contact one of our personal injury solicitors please call 0818 888 555 or WhatsApp/call 087 398 7386 or complete our online enquiry form